Berlin: Elderflower cocktail recipe (Italian Hugo)

I’ve arrived in Berlin… and so has the elderflower-syrup-filled Hugo cocktail! As I observed in my earlier post on foraged elderflower syrup, this bubbly summer treat has been working its way up through Europe from its birthplace in Italy.

Last sighted by The Wednesday Chef in Kassel (in southwestern Germany), the drink has now reached Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, where this specials board advertises it as the drink of the day at An einem Sonntag im August, a charming cafe on Kastanienallee. The fact that it also gives the exact recipe suggests that Hugo is new to town… and tells us all we need to make our own.

Where you live and how did you hear about Hugo? Help me track the spread of Hugo around the world by answering in the comments. Thanks!

Cheers! Too bad Berlin’s weather is more mulled cider than Hugo already, and the elder trees are far past flowering time – the berries are about ready to pick! Maybe we need to invent an elderberry juice cocktail? I could imagine a sort of Kir Nord, adding white wine to a shot of elderberry juice instead of cassis.

Anyway, the seasons are turning here. Look for urban plants in fall colors soon… But not before a few more vacation plant photos that I’ve yet to post!

[update 1 Oct 2011] Just found out that the Hugo has an Italian reputation, but most likely originated in Münich or Zürich. Seems to be spreading like wildfire, as this recipe is getting lots of hits from folks Googling “hugo cocktail recipe.” If you’re one of them, cheers!

[update 18 Nov 2011] I did actually try making my “Kir Nord” when I had some elderberry juice and leftover sparkling wine on hand. It was pretty good! On a related elderflower note, the German organic foods brand Andechser is currently offering an elderflower yogurt! It’s pretty good, but it really doesn’t seem like the right season for it.

33 Responses

Hi, I’m a new blogger from Italy and I thought you might like this recipe (more or less the same, but the slice iof apple makes all the difference ) for HUGO
3/10 di elderberry syrup, 7/10 di spumante (prosecco), a slice of red apple or a slice of lemon , a couple of mint leaves.
served in large glass with ice.(add soda if you like it longer)
I heard that it originated in Bolzano and is popular in Trentino Alto Adige. I don’t think anyone drinks it further south? However new trends spread quickly-

Hi there, thanks so much for sharing this version of the Hugo! Your blog looks wonderful and I look forward to checking out each others’ foraging tips. I will try your recipe as soon as the elders bloom again. I haven’t felt like buying the commercial syrup ever since we made our own last year.

Hiya!
Just returned from a trip to the Alto Adige. I discovered Hugo’s after a thirsty day’s skiiing. Very refreshing. I tried my first yesterday at home, but it just wasn’t the same. No beautiful Dolomitic scenery and sunshine.

Hey, cool, thanks for the report. I’ll tell you a secret, I *still* haven’t tried it, because I like my elderflower syrup in seltzer, and I like my prosecco with woodruff (“May wine”). But maybe this spring when the elders bloom again. Where do you live? Can you get elderflower syrup there?

Here in Alaska, we like trying new cocktails. After reading an article on St. Germain elderflower liqueur, we tried the St. Germain cocktail recipe attached (via booklet) to the bottle. It’s the same as the Hugo without the mint. Delicious! My brother, after traveling Italy & Germany, told us about the Hugo. While looking for the recipe, I found your blog. Looking forward to trying the Hugo tonight.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your Hugo story! Yours might be our first comment from Alaska, ever. Are their elderflower trees in Alaska? I’ve never had St. Germain, I don’t think, but I love everything elderflower and elderberry. Cheers!

The elderberry bushes we have here, in SE Alaska, have red berries that are avidly consumed by birds. I have never thought of fighting off the birds for the berries, but maybe I should! The French, St. Germain Liqueur has 20% alcohol and is found, in the U.S., at a well stocked liquor store or it can even be ordered online, for certain states. The syrup can be found through AMAZON for $22/$33 with shipping. Hopes this helps the Hugo lovers out there.

That’s too funny! Hopefully the birds are not territorial! Thanks for the tip with Amazon! I believe that I have seen people mix drinks with St. Germain liquer before, I’ll have to check it out. We are always looking for different drinks for gatherings, and it’s funny that my daughter stumbled upon the “Hugo” in Germany.

Ok so, my daughter is currently in Koln, Germany and she just told me that she found a delicious drink, via our What’s App communication and I immediately went on a search to see where and if I could purchase this in Ohio, USA. My daughter said that it is a great refreshing alcholic drink, and that’s saying a lot for her, because she is not a big drinker. She would take sips of beer, but never acquired a taste for it. Good thing, because she was recently diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease. She will drink a GF beer here and there, but she says this is pretty good! We have a lot of people in our family that like to have a coctail during the holidays and I would be interested in purchasing this, any ideas of stores, locations? However, if I can find the elderflower syrup, we can make it!!

Nice to hear you and your daughter’s Hugo story. Yes, the Hugo is much friendlier than your average cocktail, since it’s largely sparkling wine. Also great for those avoiding gluten as it only contains grapes, sugar, elderflower and mint. Although I think of it as a summer drink, the festiveness of the sparkling wine might also be nice at the holidays. I’ve never seen it pre-bottled, as it’s so easy to mix with a nice sparkling wine of your choice. It might be difficult to find elderflower syrup (also called elderflower cordial) in the US, but you could look for St. Germain, an elderflower liquer that is gaining popularity in the US (see comment above from Cathy). It would make a stronger drink of course, but you could serve smaller glasses. Cheers! For the long term, you could try planting an elder tree and harvest your own flowers!

I think that is why my daughter liked the Hugo because of its low alcohol content. My niece doesn’t like to drink alcohol either and she just recently said she enjoys a glass of Aste Spomonte (sp?) occasionally. I think she may also enjoy this coctail – can’t wait for a gathering!! Thanks

Hi Tanja, yes, I’ve heard from several people that Ikea offers the syrup in the US. I’ve also heard that it is not very good compared to homemade or other brands, so I’m curious to hear what you think of it.

I just started a huge batch of homemade yesterday; let’s see how it turns out!

I first had the Hugo at the belvedere in Vienna. Classiest thing I ha e ever tasted. A few other bars had it as well, even a village an der Ybbs, but i forget which. I have been telling ally friends back home here in California about it, and am currenty trying to find some persecco and some elderflower cordial to make my own

Hi Karl, belated thanks for your report on the Hugo in Vienna! If I were in California, I would just break with ‘tradition’ (a relative term anyway, since this appears to be such a new cocktail) and use any affordable, nice, dry local sparkling white – California does those pretty well, no? Will be curious to hear whether you can find elderflower cordial in the US or whether you’ll need to substitute St. Germain as other commenters suggested, above.

A hot German waiter in Auckland city made what he said was a HOGO for me this week – he said he wasnt meant to but would do it as a favour. YUM. I see he was really saying Hugo only with a cute Germanic accent…..

Hi Liza, thanks for taking the time to leave a note! We’re still getting a ton of visits to this recipe on the blog, so it must really be spreading fast. How great to be able to have the right weather for summer drinks at Christmas! Are you able to get elderflower syrup in New Zealand? Do elder trees grow there?

Hi Leslie
Had my first Hugo in Heidelburg, Germany a great restaurant,KRUG in Lamperheim-Rosengarten gets my vote for the BEST!! When looking for a recipe I found your blog-I find it interesting as the Herb of the Year chosen for study by The Herb Society Of America was Elder. I purchased Blutensirup to bring to Michigan as a great new summer drink for my herb friends.. My grandchildren also love a few drops of the syrup in a glass of water.

Gloria! Thanks so much for sharing your Hugo story AND for alerting me that Elder is the Herb of the Year! I was never really clear on whether Elder grows in the US or not. If so, why do fans have to import the syrup fro Europe?

I am with your grandkids – I actually prefer the syrup in water, sparkling or still, to the infamous Hugo, which I find a little too sweet. Cheers!

Hugos were all the rage in Western Austria and Southern Germany last year – so much so that my sister-in-law couldn’t buy any fresh mint to make tea – not even at the gardening store! Austrians tended to add a touch of lime, or to muddle the mint leaves in the lime.

Alpine Austrians regularly drink homemade Holundersaft there – the local word for elderflower syrup drink. No surprise that adding alcohol was popular!

Looking forward to making Hugos now that Spring has returned to New York City!

Melynda, thanks so much for the very detailed and informative report. I can’t believe there was actually a run on mint! I bet people will be planting mint in the gardens and on their balconies this year…

Interesting that “Holundersaft” is used for the elderflower syrup drink – in Berlin, it’s called anything from simply “Sirup” (the sparkling water is implied) to “Verdünnungssaft” (dilution juice!) To be honest, I think I now actually prefer just sirup and seltzer, without any alcohol – or if I want a drink, I just dunk a whole head of elderflowerblossoms in a glass of champagne! But I guess the Hugo is a fun and festive drink to make.

So you are a New Yorker with Austrian influences? I am friends with some great Austrian folks in South Slope, Brooklyn…

I first tried a Hugo last spring while visiting Merano, Italy. It’s a very popular drink in the Alto Adige area. I was hooked! Our friends there bought me a bottle of the elderflower syrup to bring home to Colorado with me. Now that summer is here, I have planted mint and am ready to drink Hugo again! For anyone looking for the elderflower syrup, I actually saw some at our local Ikea not long ago. I think it was around $11 or so. I haven’t tasted the syrup for Ikea yet, but it’s nice to know I can buy it here and not have to ask my friends to ship it from Italy!

So fun finding your blog and recipe, thanks! My daughter introduced me to this cocktail in Passau, Germany 2012 by saying, “Mom, have I found the drink for you!” The Hugo itself was worth the plane ticket!

We just returned from a trip to Germany, and we were introduced to Hugo’s. It was truly a wonderful drink which we enjoyed very much. I got the recipe and plan to make it here in Arizona. Our grand daughter gave us a bottle to bring home so we can make it. It has the name Holunderbluten Sirup on label. Not sure if this is the same Syrup as Elderflower, but that is what they used. I am going to try and find it here at Total Wine store, and will check if they can order it for me. Prost!!

Hi Millie, thanks for letting us know about your Hugo story. Yes, Holunderblüten is German for elderflower (while Holunder usually refers to the elderberries, which are dark purple and a bit bitter – no good for Hugos!) You should be able to make Hugo with any reasonably-priced, dry sparkling white wine; while prosecco seems to be standard, I don’t see why it matters since the elderflower flavor is quite strong. Friends of mine even make it with white wine topped off with seltzer – it’s just as good. Prost, enjoy!